Dropping by for a visit at Rideau Hall

The Tent Room at Rideau Hall was rehabilitated by the NCC.

Photograph by: Jean Levac
, Ottawa Citizen

Is it possible to visit the Governor General's house when I visit Ottawa?

Nothing could be more Canadian than visiting Rideau Hall, the home and office of every Governor General since Confederation. You’ll learn a lot about the person who represents the Queen of Canada – yes, Canada – whenever she’s not in the country. I recently toured the joint myself, and still feel true patriot love gurgling inside.

Gurgling may be a tad more than I bargained for, but how will this help me get my maple on?

Your patriotism should be primed the moment you glimpse the sturdy scarlet-coated, busby-capped sentries who stand guard from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.at the entrance to the 32-hectare villa on Sussex Drive. They’re from the regiment that performs the elaborate Changing of the Guard ceremony on Parliament Hill each summer. At Rideau Hall, there’s a small hourly ceremony. The rest of the time they stand stoically stone-faced, though the occasional tourist succeeds in making one smile.

So what happens once you’re inside those gates?

The high point is a guided tour of five regal public rooms inside Rideau Hall itself. You’re also invited to stroll through the beautiful grounds and a small visitor centre, all of which enriches the visit. If you’re lucky, you’ll be present for special activities, such as story time every Friday and Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.; that runs until Aug. 23.

The Tent Room, with its massive chandelier, is on the tour.

Tell me all about the guided tour.

I joined a wee group from Vancouver and Edmonton as Riley, a University of Guelph student and seasoned summer guide, led us through those five rooms. (The 170 other rooms are given over to administrative offices and the Governor General’s living quarters.) Throughout the 45-minute tour, Riley explained the Governor General’s role, which ranges from receiving foreign ambassadors and heading Canada’s heraldry authority to advising, encouraging and warning the Prime Minister. She deftly linked each element of that lesson to items found in the rooms, so it didn’t seem at all like a dull civics class.

What does a visitor see at Rideau Hall?

You start in the grand entrance foyer, graced by portraits of Canadian-born Governors General; the more recent are increasingly informal, I thought, with Romeo Leblanc posing in a cardigan and Michaëlle Jean surrounded by ordinary Canadians. You see the ballroom where cabinet ministers are sworn in and medals of bravery are awarded; it’s formal but surprisingly warm, despite the one-ton chandelier made with 12,000 pieces of Waterford crystal. You see the room where state dinners are held, and the colourful “tent room,” where billowing striped fabric is meant to recall an era when an actual tent was erected in that space, then an outdoor tennis court. “You can imagine how useful that was in the Canadian climate,” Riley quipped. You see lovely Canadian art; a Steinway piano that belonged to Glenn Gould (Jean once played a duet on it with the Empress of Japan); and, as they say, much more.

What’s so special about the grounds?

Designed in the so-called Picturesque style of an English country estate, complete with cricket pitch, the lawns make a shady oasis with lovely rose gardens, a totem pole, and other features. It’s fun to read the plaques in front of many of the 10,000 trees, planted by dignitaries from 50 countries. They include a hemlock planted by newlywed royals William and Kate in 2011, and the red oak whose planting gave U.S. President John Kennedy back pain the rest of his life.

Would this appeal to my children?

Teenagers might think it’s not too cool, but the guides are used to engaging younger folks, who might be asked to hold props or pretend to be an ambassador. There’s a play structure on the grounds, picnic tables are available, and the lawn is great for running off steam.

Logistical details, please?

Tours are free. Until Sept. 1, just show up daily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (no reservation needed). You can also take a self-guided tour between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. From Sept. 2 until the end of October, however, weekday tours are offered only upon reservation at 613-991-4422, and unreserved weekend tours begin only at noon. You can walk the grounds in the cool of the morning; gates open daily at 8 a.m. Parking is restricted to side streets; it’s best to travel by OC Transpo; route 9 takes you within a block. Everything seems wheelchair accessible. For online details: gg.ca.

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